January 27, 2004 In the
News
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
STUDYING ABROAD
(IN GREENWICH VILLAGE); A SEMESTER IN NEW YORK, FILLING IN FOR
N.Y.U. STUDENTS OVERSEAS
The single-digit temperatures did not faze Michael Alvarez,
a 20-year-old with spiky dark hair from Los Angeles Valley College.
He danced around excitedly during a tour of New York University
last week, tucking his gloveless hands in his pockets. His mind
was not on the weather, but on the plays he hoped to see and
the directors he hoped to meet during a semester at the university.
… "You can walk across the street or go uptown and
see real van Goghs," said Sarah Bair, 19, an art history
major at Utah State University. "At home, you have to look
in a book." She called New York the best place to study
art in the United States. Her goal, she added, is to visit at
least one museum or gallery each week. (New York Times, 1/24/04)
DIRTY TRICK? CACHE
DEFENDS AIR QUALITY
State air-quality regulators -- flanked by officials from Logan
and Utah State University -- gathered in Salt Lake City on Friday
to try to dispel the notion that Cache County's air is the worst
in the nation. But they acknowledged that the squeaky-clean
air, in which Cache Valley takes considerable pride, occasionally
flirts with filth. "If we have one of two more days of
high readings, we could violate [federal law]," said Rick
Sprott, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality. (Salt
Lake Tribune, 1/24/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01242004/utah/132061.asp
JUNIPER FESTIVAL
IS A TOWERING SUCCESS IN LOGAN
The air outside Utah State University's Chase Fine Arts Center
may be frightful, but the sounds indoors on the Logan campus
this week will be delightful. At least Michael Carrera hopes
so. Cellist Carrera and his wife, violinist Marjorie Bagley,
are artistic directors of the Juniper Chamber Music Festival,
which presents its third season of concerts and related activities
this week. The couple founded the festival while in residence
at USU as members of the Arcata String Quartet; they now are
on the faculty of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. The USU String
and Piano Chamber Music Festival was rechristened the Juniper
Chamber Music Festival in its second season. (Salt Lake Tribune,
1/25/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01252004/arts/132013.asp
OF MICE AND
MEN: CRITTERS ARE INVADING UTAH HOMES
There's a mouse in the house. Thanks to Utah's prolonged freeze,
the tiny rodents have been moving into many Utah dwellings and
nesting. This infestation may be bad news for those who find
mice creepy, but it is a boon for cats and local pest-control
businesses. … Utah's mouse population is not significantly
larger this year, said Wade Bitner, a master gardener with the
Utah State University Extension Office in Salt Lake County.
But since the temperatures dropped below freezing last month,
the rodents had nowhere to go but inside. (Salt Lake Tribune,
1/26/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01262004/monday/132685.asp
FAIRY TALE
HAS HAPPY ENDING: TEEN WRITES A MUSICAL FOR SPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS
Erica Glenn doesn't go home after the last bell rings at school.
She doesn't stay for an athletic-team practice or go to the
mall with her friends, either. Instead, the Pleasant Grove High
School senior has made new friends at the Lindon Care and Training
Center, a residential facility for people with mental and physical
disabilities. … Another high school senior, Amber Gleason,
who plans to major in special education at Utah State University
next year, used sign language to teach words to a hearing-impaired
girl. She also helped others learn their lines. (Deseret Morning
News, 1/26/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590038696,00.html
'SUPER' SCORES
ARE BARCO'S SPECIALTY: LOGAN PLANT ASSEMBLES VIDEO PANELS, SCOREBOARDS,
OTHER DISPLAYS FOR SPORTS VENUES
Barco can help people know the score and get the message. The
Belgium-based company's Logan operations will help fans at this
year's Super Bowl do just that. Every time they glance at the
end zone scoreboards at Houston's Reliant Stadium, they'll be
staring at a display assembled in northern Utah. … Utah
State University's Spectrum, where the entire overhead setup
— from video panels to scoreboards to advertising panels
to a 360-degree ring-shaped message board — was done by
Barco. (Deseret Morning News, 1/26/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590038217,00.html
LOGAN AIR
NOT WORST IN NATION: PUBLIC STILL AT RISK
Logan does not have the worst air quality in the nation. However,
it's still bad. Really bad. "Logan is still real high,
but they didn't take the blue ribbon," said Rick Sprott,
state Division of Air Quality director. "We certainly don't
want to minimize things, and we are very concerned. Things are
still very serious." … More action is being taken
by Utah State University researchers. Faculty members and state
air-quality scientists are conducting joint research to better
characterize the situation and find solutions in Logan. (Standard
Examiner, 1/24/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040123231515837902
ICE ICE BABY:
MOTHER NATURE HAS BEEN BUSY CREATING SOME PRETTY SLICK ARTWORK
Behold the icicle, dangling earthward in all its frosty splendor.
It's a common sight in the midst of a Utah winter, icicles as
plentiful as sprouting weeds in summer. Here, they cascade from
the eaves of offices and houses. There, they drip like frosting
from porches, fences or trees. Skinny ones, fat ones, stretching-clear-down-to-the-ground
ones. Lone, solitary spikes or masses of shimmery blades, melding
into icy curtains. … "It's interesting to watch icicles
grow and grow and grow," and wonder how big they'll eventually
get, says Seeley, a Utah State University professor. (Standard
Examiner, 1/25/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040124190024191034
GARDEN VARIETY:
WATCH FOR SYMPTOMS; GARDENING CAN BE CONTAGIOUS
Wintertime gives me time to think. Most people would probably
argue it is too much time, and they might be right. Lately,
I have thought about what makes a gardener (someone who loves
to dig in the dirt and play with plants) different from other
people. Gardeners are a unique and large (collectively, not
individually) group of often-misunderstood people. … Jerry
Goodspeed is a horticulturist with the Weber County branch of
the Utah State University Extension Service. (Standard Examiner,
1/25/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040123203011115688
'BAKE SALE'
STIRS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ISSUE AT USU
A bake sale at Utah State University in December left a bad
taste in the mouths of many on campus and stirred up a batch
of controversy about affirmative action. Today, students and
faculty members who oppose and support the national affirmative
action order are preparing to debate their opinions in a public
event to be held at USU on Monday. (Herald Journal, 1/25/05)
FILTERING THROUGH
THE HAZE: USU CHEMIST ANALYZES THE VALLEY'S POLLUTED AIR
Utah State University analytical chemist Philip Silva isn't
having a field day with Cache County's polluted air. He's having
a field month. For the past three weeks, the assistant professor
has been analyzing the pollution levels during the winter inversion.
He and his research team have discovered that the factors causing
skyrocketing PM 2.5 levels are much more complex than what scientists
may have suspected. (Herald Journal, 1/24/05)
A LOOK BACK,
INTO THE PAST: VALLEY HISTORIAN REVEALS COPIES OF HYRUM'S EARLIEST
NEWSPAPER
In the March 10, 1888, edition of the city's earliest newspaper,
The Knowledge Seeker, one contributor wrote the following: "I
wonder if there could be such a thing as a boom in Hyrum. I
think that it is high time that there was something done in
the way of more industry in Hyrum. … Ted Kindred said
original copies of The Knowledge Seeker are held by Utah State
University's Special Collections. (Herald Journal, 1/24/05)
Monday, January 26, 2004
ROLLY AND WELLS:
PAIN-FREE ORTON MAY RUN AGAIN
Several months ago, when Gold Cross was battling Salt Lake County
Mayor Nancy Workman over her proposal to have the county take
over ambulance service, the company conducted a public opinion
poll covering several issues, including possible challengers
to Workman's re-election bid. … After reading reports
that University of the Pacific basketball coach Bob Thomason
complained about Utah State University's rowdy fans, saying
that they must not have any other form of entertainment in Logan,
Mayor Doug Thompson and Cache County Chamber of Commerce director
Bobbie Coray decided to educate him. Salt Lake Tribune, 1/23/04)
Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01232004
/utah/131750.asp
SENATE OKS $100
MILLION FOR UTAH: GOP ENDS DEMOS' DELAY TACTICS ON HUGE SPENDING
BILL
Republicans overcame Democratic delaying tactics Thursday to
finally approve — four months late — a huge, catchall
2004 spending bill that includes $100 million for Utah projects
ranging from light rail expansion to upgrading parks. …
Numerous research projects for local colleges including $7.7
million alone for Utah State University-related labs and facilities
ranging from research on poisonous plants to the study of bee
pollen. (Deseret Morning News, 1/13/04) Click on:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590038041,00.html
SNOW-FELLED TREES
ARE WAKE-UP CALL: UTAHNS SHOULD CHOOSE STRONGER, SLOW-GROWTH
TREES
Over the past several weeks, tree branches, and in many cases,
entire trees have been felled by heavy snow. Removal and replacement
costs could climb into the millions of dollars. Throw in the
additional cost of property damage and the safety concerns of
downed power lines, and the situation is a wake-up call for
better tree selection and care. … Article by Larry A.
Sagers, regional horticulturist, Utah State University Extension
Services, at Thanksgiving Point. (Deseret Morning News, 1/13/04)
Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037908,00.html
BAD AIR CLOGGING
HOSPITALS: INVERSION SPARKS 25 PERCENT PATIENT INCREASE
Hospitals reported full wings and busier emergency rooms Thursday
as air indexes all along the Wasatch Front ranged from "moderate"
to "unhealthy." "We're seeing up to a 25 percent
increase in patients presenting with respiratory problems,"
said Pam Fogle, marketing director for Ogden Regional Medical
Center. … Kent Bott, a technician at the Utah State University
air monitoring station, where air from around the state is monitored,
said there is a chance for some improvement, especially if storms
predicted by the National Weather Service for this weekend deliver.
(Standard Examiner, 1/23/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040122230000753189
USU AIDS STUDY
OF ALZHEIMER'S
Taking vitamins E and C together may protect people from Alzheimer's
disease, according to a study conducted by Utah State University
using more than 5,000 elderly Cache County residents. The study,
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association's
Archives of Neurology, suggested that the antioxidant effects
of the two vitamins may help reduce the risk of getting the
disease. The study was a collaborative effort with John Hopkins,
Duke and the University of Washington. (Herald Journal, 1/23/04)
PROFESSOR GETS
FRANT FOR ANIMAL ABUSE BOOK
Animal abuse expert Frank Ascione, a professor of psychology
at Utah State University, will use the largest individual grant
ever made to an individual in the social services by the Kenneth
A. Scott Charitable Trust to develop an international handbook
on the topic. Scott Thompson, a Salt Lake City Key Bank vice
president and a Scott Trust representative, hand delivered the
nearly $85,000 check on Jan. 15 to Ascione at a meeting that
included Gerry Giordano, dean of the College of Education, and
other USU officials. (Herald Journal, 1/23/04)
THE NEED
FOR SPEED
The Friends of Utah State University Libraries will present
a series of public lectures this year, and all are invited to
attend. Kicking off the new year is a lecture by Ronald Shook,
an associate professor in Utah State's department of English.
Shook will speak Friday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Merrill Library
(first floor) on campus. The lecture is free. (Herald Journal,
Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
'ADAPTATIONS'
BY JANE CATLIN
The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art begins the new year with
a solo exhibition, "Jane Catlin: Adaptations." An
artist talk, free to the public, will be held at the museum
on the Utah State University campus Thursday, Jan. 22, at 5
p.m. An artist and associate professor of art at Utah State,
Catlin actively exhibits nationally and administers the university's
Art Education Program. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
FOUR
PLAYS, TWO MORE DAYS
Six plays in six days. The advanced directing class at Utah
State University presents "A Whole New Direction: An Evening
of One-Acts." The productions are presented by Utah State
Theatre (UST). … In the "One-Acts," specific
acts are taken from full-length plays and are produced by UST
students participating in the advanced directing class taught
by Utah State faculty member Kevin Doyle. (Herald Journal, Cache
Magazine, 1/23/04)
GUTHRIE'S
'OTHELLO' BRINGS OPPORTUNITY: WORKSHOPS, CLASSES TO ACCOMPANY
TWO-NIGHT PERFORMANCE
Regional drama critics, educators and Shakespeare enthusiasts
have directed their attention to the Ellen Eccles Theatre Presents
nationally touring production of Shakespeare's "Othello"
by the prestigious Guthrie Theater on Jan. 30 and 31, 2004,
at 7:30 p.m. in the Ellen Eccles Theatre. The company will be
in residence Jan. 29 to 31 and will provide more than 10 education
and outreach workshops in valley high schools and at Utah State
University. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
TWO
NIGHTS, THIS WEEK: GRAMMY WINNER DIANNE REEVES TO PERFORM AT
ECCLES
Ellen Eccles Theatre presents two-time Grammy Award winner and
jazz diva Dianne Reeves Jan. 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. "Anybody
who's just a little bit interested in jazz ought to be there.
It's a phenomenal coup to get her here," said Larry Smith,
who recently retired from a 38-year tenure as director of jazz
at Utah State University. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
TOURING
'TWELFTH NIGHT' STOPS BY
The Utah Shakespearean Festival's "Shakespeare-in-the-Schools"
will perform its touring production of "Twelfth Night"
on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 9 a.m. in the Kent Concert Hall on
the campus of Utah State University. The 85-minute production
is presented to high school students from across the state attending
the Utah Theatre Conference, hosted by the Utah Theatre Association.
(Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
JAZZ
KICK BIG BAND
The first concert by the "Jazz Kicks Big Band" will
be presented Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Lyric Theater at 7:20 p.m.
the band, led by recently retired Utah State University jazz
professor Larry Smith, is made up of local musicians who get
"kicks" from playing big band music. (Herald Journal,
Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
CINEMATIC
JET LAG
A day at the Sundance Film Festival produces many of the same
physical symptoms as an overnight transatlantic flight: bloodshot
eyes, aching back, dry mouth and grumbling stomach. The psychic
toll is equally severe: Going in and out of theatres all day,
from darkness to sunlight and back every couple of hours, is
like crossing the International Date Line over and over again.
… Written by Brian McCuskey, associate professor of English
at Utah State University. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
'WORKS
ON PAPER' BY CHARLES GARABEDIAN
An exhibition of works on paper by California-based artist
Charles Garabedian opens Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Nora Eccles
Harrison Museum of Art at Utah State University. Garabedian,
though unfamiliar to most, is celebrated senior member of the
American art scene. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 1/23/04)
Friday, January 23, 2004
AS PEOPLE
PUSH INTO COUGAR HABITAT, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ARE MORE COMMON
A 1 1/2-year-old mountain lion, feeling the squeeze from at
least a dozen other lions on the Oquirrh Mountains, last year
made the trek from the Oquirrh foothills on the Salt Lake Valley's
west side to the base of Mount Timpanogos on the east. …
"He wasn't going to town to eat. It just happened to be
in the way between him and his destination and he went through
as fast as he could," said David Stoner, a graduate research
assistant at Utah State University who trailed the cat's movements
with a radio collar as part of a cougar study funded by the
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). "No one ever
saw or heard him; at least, there were no reports." (Salt
Lake Tribune, 1/22/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01222004/thursday/thursday.asp
REAL WORLD: U. FINANCE STUDENTS CALL
THE SHOTS ON INVESTING $50,000
Eighteen barely-twenty-something college kids could do a lot
of damage with $50,000. The students in Liz Tashjian's Finance
5380 class have done just the opposite. As part of the University
of Utah's Student Investment Program, students have the opportunity
to apply and test the information they're learning in the real
world, with real money. … Davidson now supports similar
funds at 18 Western universities, including the U., Brigham
Young University, Utah State University and Westminster College.
Of those 18 programs, Davidson said BYU and the U. saw the strongest
returns based on the latest available data — at 33 percent
and 30 percent, respectively. (Deseret Morning News, 1/22/04)
Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037674,00.html
DISCOVERY
ON WHEELS TAKES SCIENCE ON THE ROAD: STUDENTS ENJOY THE HANDS-ON
ACTIVITIES, GAMES
It's comparable to a carnival, only instead of coming away with
a bellyache and motion sickness, students leave with a better
understanding of how the world of science connects to everyday
life. Discovery on Wheels, a traveling hands-on science center
operated by Utah State University Extension and Utah 4-H, made
a stop at Lakeside Elementary in West Point this week. The center
is designed to bring the state science curriculum to life. With
its bright colors and 35 different interactive exhibits, excited
students couldn't seem to get enough of the activities and games.
(Deseret Morning News, 1/22/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037742,00.html
AMERICA'S
CHECKUP: AMA PRESIDENT-ELECT TALKS HEALTHCARE AT USU
The nation's health care system got a thorough checkup Wednesday
afternoon at Utah State University by Dr. John Nelson, president-elect
of the American Medical Association. Nelson, an obstetrician
from Salt Lake City and USU alumnus, visited his old stomping
grounds on the Logan campus before offering a seminar in the
Taggart Student Center about the future of health care in the
United States. (Herald Journal, 1/22/04)
KSL NEWSCAST:
MAKE HOMEMADE PLAY DOUGH
Pauline Williams of Utah State University Extension Services
demonstrates how to make homemade play dough for the Tip of
the Week. (KSL newscast, 5:30 a.m., 1/21/04)
Thursday, January 22, 2004
VITAMIN DUO FIGHTS RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S
Researchers studying thousands of aging Cache County residents
found that those who took vitamin E and C supplements daily
cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by about 60 percent. ...
"In this geographic location, people aren't moving in and
out a lot; it's a very stable region," said Nancy Sassano,
project manager with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies at
Utah State University, which, along with Duke University, is
involved in the project. "That allows us to track them
better." (Salt Lake Tribune, 1/21/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01212004/utah/131087.asp
GARDENING
WITH NATIVE PLANTS HAS GROWING APPEAL
The annual Utah Green Conference moved from Sandy to St. George
this year and fell on days when the Wasatch Front was socked
in, soupy and enjoying temperatures beyond freezing. Those of
us down south didn't mind at all. … Susan Meyer, who has
dedicated her career to the study of Utah native plants, unveiled
the Intermountain Native Plant Growers Association's "Utah's
Choice" program. It is a cooperative campaign of the Utah
State University Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping, the
Utah Botanic Center and the Utah Native Plant Society designed
to demystify 40 native plant species that could, or should,
find their way into our home landscapes. (Salt Lake Tribune,
1/21/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/012120
04/wednesda/131011.asp
$100
MILLION SPENDING BILL FOR UTAH BLOCKED: SENATE DEMOS BLOCK SPENDING
BILL IN HOPES OF 'FIXING' IT
Democrats again blocked the Senate Tuesday from passing a huge,
four-months-late, catchall spending bill — leaving in
limbo more than $100 million of funding for Utah projects ranging
from expanding TRAX light rail to upgrading local parks and
fighting Mormon crickets. … Numerous research projects
for local colleges, including $7.7 million alone for Utah State
University-related labs and facilities ranging from research
on poisonous plants to the study of bee pollen. (Deseret Morning
News, 1/21/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037494,00.html
KSL NEWSCAST:
CACHE VALLEY COULD BE SOURCE FOR CROPS TO BE GROWN ON MOON
President Bush wants human footsteps on the moon by 2014 and
Cache Valley (Utah State University) is learning to grow crops
that could be grown on the moon for NASA. Dr. Gail Bingham,
USU Space Dynamics Lab and Dr. Bruce Bugbee, USU Space Crop
Research. (KSL newscast, 12 p.m., 1/20/04)
KUTV
NEWSCAST: INDOOR GARDEN TIPS
You can grow vegetables inside your home in the winter. Lettuce,
spinach and other greens grow well when you use fresh seeds.
Maggie Wolf, Utah State University extension horticulturist.
(KUTV newscast, 5 a.m., 5 p.m., 1/20/04)
Tuesday, January 21, 2004
GEORGIA
DISTRICT SETS HIGHER BAR FOR SUBSTITUTES SERIES: SPECIAL REPORT:
LOST DAYS IN THE CLASSROOM 2 OF A 2-PART SERIES
Rodney Grantham is a perfect example of a top-notch substitute
teacher. He's also a perfect example of the nation's substitute
dilemma. With a master's degree in business, the former General
Electric project manager has helped students understand complex
subjects ranging from algebra to physics. In the Fulton County
public-school system, outside Atlanta, almost everyone who fills
in for absent teachers has at least a bachelor's degree. …
Experts praise the district's recognition of a substitute teacher's
role in boosting student performance. Too many educators haven't
made these employees a priority, said Geoffrey Smith, executive
director of the Substitute Teaching Institute at Utah State
University. (Orlando Sentinel, 1/19/04)
TUITIONS
MAY AGAIN BE RAISED
Students at some of Utah's public colleges and universities
could see a tuition hike of nearly 15 percent beginning in the
2004-05 school year. How much the actual percentage boost will
be depends on how well higher education fares in the 2004 Legislature,
which opens Monday. … Utah State University Kermit Hall
said he has been meeting with USU students and he expects they
will support a 4 percent increase on top of the 4.5 percent
first-tier rate -- a total 8.5 percent increase above USU's
current $2,545 tuition for undergraduate resident students.
Hall said some of the money would be used for a new library
which already is under construction. "The remainder of
the money will broken out in one or two ways," Hall said.
"One would be strictly for merit-based increases for faculty
and staff -- and/or a set of payments that need to be directed
towards the deficit we have accumulated for fuel and power."
(Salt Lake Tribune, 1/17/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01172004/utah/129928.asp
LOGAN
HOLDING ITS BREATH
Cache Valley residents might have to give up the notion that
they live an agrarian lifestyle -- especially when the air outside
is telling them otherwise. For the second straight day, Logan
carried the dreary distinction of having the dirtiest air in
the nation. While some residents doubted that designation, officials
began combating the problem Friday by shutting down drive-through
windows and cracking down on motorists with cars belching charcoal-colored
exhaust. They also are on the lookout for wood-burning offenders.
"Jim Bridger didn't envision 100,000 people living in this
long, narrow valley, but that's the reality," said Utah
State University environmental engineer Randy Martin, referring
to the legendary mountain man who once roamed the region. (Salt
Lake Tribune, 1/17/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01172004/utah/129910.asp
PANEL
BACKS PLAN TO QUAKE-PROOF U. LIBRARY
The Utah Seismic Safety Commission voted Friday to support the
University of Utah's request for $45 million from the state
Legislature to retrofit Marriott Library to withstand an earthquake.
A 2002 building evaluation found a magnitude-5 quake could break
welding between the library's concrete floors and steel support
columns, "pancaking" the building and killing as many
as 4,000 students and university staff who may be in the building
at any one time. Despite that risk, the project could face skepticism
at the Capitol. Although the reconstruction is tied with a project
lawmakers funded at Utah State University last year, the state
Board of Regents ranked the library retrofit No. 2 among higher
education projects after a Weber State University plan to build
classrooms in a gym. (Salt Lake Tribune, 1/17/04) Click on:
http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01172004/utah/129933.asp
ACADEMIC
DIVERSITY IMPORTANT
The recent plea by some of the good citizens in Logan to Utah
State University President Kermit Hall to acquire more Mormon
faculty is an example of well-intended but misguided intentions.
What good is the U.S. Constitution and the right of religious
freedom if a group could ever force a publicly supported educational
institution to hire more teachers of only one particular religion?
Diversity and the freedom to express ideas and to teach and
counsel all measure of human interests and concepts is an inalienable
right. If Logan citizens wish to achieve their purpose to acquire
more Mormon faculty at USU, let them build and run their own
school, at their own cost. (Salt Lake Tribune, Letter to the
Editor, James F. Oshust, Salt Lake City, 1/20/04) Click on:
http://www.sltrib.com/2004/jan/01202004/public_f/130688.asp
TO BEDBUGS, UTAH LOOKS LIKE HOME SWEET
HOME
Although you might have thought you crawled into bed alone last
night, an unwelcome guest could have been hiding under the sheets.
Sweet dreams. Bedbugs are back, so sleep tight — they
will bite. Utah is crawling with the little bloodsuckers and
is one of 33 states reporting bedbug sightings. … Jay
Karren, an entomologist at Utah State University, has proof
— a single bedsheet from a Logan apartment complex that
sits in his freezer at Utah State University. (Deseret Morning
News, 1/19/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037098,00.html
COLLEGE
FACULTIES SHORT OF WOMEN? STUDY DETECTS DEARTH OF PROFESSORS
IN MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
A new study says women are so rare among math, science and engineering
faculties at top universities in America — and in Utah
— that female students may earn even a doctorate without
ever having a woman for a teacher. "This sends a clear
message to students that women are not welcome in math, science
and engineering," said Donna J. Nelson, associate professor
of chemistry at the University of Oklahoma. … Utah State
University's electrical engineering program was ranked among
the top 50 in that field — and only two of its 18 professors
were female. (Deseret Morning News, 1/19/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590037063,00.html
UTAH'S
POET LAUREATE TO GIVE BENEFIT READING
Ken Brewer, poet laureate of Utah, will give a benefit reading
on Thursday in Logan, for the Adrienne Platero Creative Writing
Award. The event will take place in the Utah State University
Haight Alumni Center. Brewer, USU emeritus professor, will read
some of Platero's works, a few pieces by other Utah writers,
and some of his own poetry. Platero, a former student in USU's
English department, died in November 2002 of leukemia while
pursuing an MFA in creative writing at Oregon State University.
(Deseret Morning News, 1/18/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,585038220,00.html
MORALLY
BANKRUPT? MOST RELIGIONS CONDEMN DEBT
The holidays are history; the gifts are tucked away, and it's
time for reckoning with your credit card statement. January
is here again. It just doesn't seem that long ago, carrying
all those bags out of the mall and rationalizing that you'll
eat only ramen this month so you can pay it all off by Feb.
1. Besides, your other New Year's resolution is to lose some
weight. Utah State University professor Jean Lown agrees. When
word hit the national media that Utahans file for bankruptcy
at a higher rate than residents of any other state, she co-authored
a study on the problem with colleague Barbara Rowe. It includes
"lots of numbers on who has filed but not why," though
she has talked with thousands of students in her 20 years of
teaching financial management at USU, so she can make some educated
guesses. (Deseret Morning News, 1/17/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,585037988,00.html
TENTATIVE
BOOSTS IN TUITION HEARD: COLLEGE CHIEFS PROPOSE HIKES FROM 3%
TO 10%
The fate of public college tuition in Utah is now hanging in
the balance. The State Board of Regents Friday heard tentative
numbers on second-tier tuition increases from college presidents.
That increase would be added to a 4.5 percent first-tier hike
that regents already approved. … USU is looking at using
$1.2 million of the increase for its "wildly" underfunded
library, according to President Kermit Hall. The rest could
go to meet fuel and power costs. Regent David Jordan praised
USU for its "carefully crafted" way of including students
in the process of deciding how much of an increase to put forward.
(Deseret Morning News, 1/17/04) Click on:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,590036700,00.html
CACHE
VALLEY INCUBATES BUSINESSES
The town of Paradise is right. An old cannery in that Cache
Valley town has been converted into a kitchen that can be used
by food entrepreneurs to prepare their wares. The best thing
is the rent is free! A joint effort by the Cache Chamber of
Commerce, Utah State University, the Bear River Area Sustained
Agricultural Association and private donors bought and renovated
the old building. Small, start-up business owners get to use
the kitchen. (Standard Examiner, Letter to the Editor, Ronald
L. Dunn, Farmington, 1/19/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040118203004642819
USU LOOKS
TO BUSH SPACE PLAN
Utah State University and the Space Dynamics Lab hope to benefit
from President Bush's plan to send astronauts to the moon, Mars
and beyond. "What President Bush is doing is elevating
the space program at a time in which it needs to be elevated,"
USU President Kermit L. Hall said. "And I believe that
for our university, which has such a heavy commitment in the
area of space exploration, it is welcome and will be beneficial."
For Gail Bingham, chief scientist at the Space Dynamics Lab,
the announcement was a dream come true. (Standard Examiner,
1/17/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040116210115721378
REGENTS
RAISE TUITION: STATEWIDE, INCREASE WILL BE 4.5 PERCENT
Weber State University students may be looking at a possible
tuition increase of up to 11.5 percent for the 2004-05 school
year. Weber State President Ann Millner announced the school's
tentative tuition increase, along with the presidents of nine
of the state's universities and colleges, Friday during the
Utah State Board of Regents meeting at the Davis Applied Technology
College in Kaysville. The regents approved a statewide 4.5 tuition
increase in October. On top of that, Weber State is proposing
a 7 percent tuition increase, citing three main needs, mostly
due to growth. Weber State's tuition this year is lower than
any of the other public universities in the state: University
of Utah ($3,058); Utah State University ($2,545); and Southern
Utah University ($2,332). (Standard Examiner, 1/17/04) Click
on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=0004011700013
6660402
USU LOSES PARKING TO SNOW
The ample moisture that fell in Cache Valley over the holiday
break has created a few problems on the campus of Utah State
University. For students, employees and campus visitors, the
difficulties are not permanent. As soon as the weather warms
up, dozens of mini-mountains of snow will melt, revealing a
valuable commodity on the Logan campus — more parking
spaces. (Herald Journal, 1/20/04
FREEZING
COLD
In case anyone hasn't noticed, it's been cold out lately. Make
that really cold, see-your-breathe-inside-your-car type cold.
We've all heard the "colder than" phrases and any
all would fit the past week in Cache Valley. … As is the
inversion. Esmaiel Malek, interim director at the Utah Climate
Control Center at Utah State University, called it a "normal
phenomenon." While the snow makes it colder, it could help
if the inversion left. Malek said snow is a "high reflector,"
but there has been less solar radiation with daytime fog. (Herald
Journal, 1/18/04)
OFFICER:
RECENT NUMBER OF DEATHS 'ODD'
Driving through North Logan on Monday evening, Michael Conover
slowed his car to 10 miles per hour. He wasn't just taking his
time to get home after a day working as professor at Utah State
University its' that he knew the deer on the right-hand side
of the road were waiting for something. Like the deer that bolted
across the street from his left side just after he noticed the
animal on his right. (Herald Journal, 1/15/04)
FANNY
FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE: USU EXPERT STUDIES BIKE SEAT COMFORT
Relief for your butt is coming soon. It is not just because
your posterior is shaped oddly, or you have larger apples than
you hoped for. You could shake what your mother gave you, but
the evil black bike seat would still bite you in the behind.
It must be faced — the bicycle seat afflicts us all. According
to Utah State University Assistant Professor Eadric Bressel,
there's more to bicycle seats than meets the behind. (Herald
Journal, 1/18/04)
KSL NEWSCAST:
USU IN NASA'S FUTURE
Utah State University will almost certainly be NASA's choice
when it comes to growing crops on the moon and Mars. In the
future fragile plans and people might be protected by a shield
or even an underground system. Crops could include rice, soybeans,
wheat, and rice. Interviews with Dr. Gail Bigham and Dr. Bruce
Bugbee from the USU Space Dynamics Lab. (KSL newscast, 6 p.m.,
10 p.m., 1/19/04)
KUTV
NEWSCAST: USU WILL BENEFIT FROM SPACE PROGRAM
Out of this world. Utah State University's President Kermit
Hall says that now is the time for Bush's space program to get
a boost. (KUTV newscast, 12 p.m., 1/16/04)
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